While these terms are sometimes used as synonyms, there is an important distinction between femicide and feminicide.
Femicide is defined as the killing of a woman because she is a woman, and it encompasses a wider range of homicides against women. It includes killings motivated by gender hatred, as well as those committed by intimate partners, family members, or strangers, regardless of the motive.
Feminicide, on the other hand, is a more specific term that refers to the killing of women as a form of social control or political violence. It is often associated with situations where there is a widespread devaluation of women’s lives, and it can be committed by the state, by armed groups, or by individuals acting in a political context.
So, while all feminicides are femicides, not all femicides are feminicides. The term feminicide is used to highlight the political and social dimensions of these killings, and to draw attention to the root causes of violence against women.
Here is a table summarizing the key differences between femicide and feminicide:
| Feature | Femicide | Feminicide |
|---|---|---|
| Motivation | Killing of a woman because she is a woman | Killing of women as a form of social control or political violence |
| Scope | Includes a wider range of homicides against women | More specific term that refers to political killings of women |
| Perpetrators | Intimate partners, family members, strangers, armed groups, state actors | State actors, armed groups, individuals acting in a political context |
| Context | Can occur in any context | Often associated with situations where there is a widespread devaluation of women’s lives |
